1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a safety system and more specifically it relates to a mechanical ride safety system for automatically disabling a mechanical ride in response to a rider losing his/her grip on the ride.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Mechanical rides such as mechanical bulls and the like have been in use for many years. Generally, such mechanical rides will erratically move in various directions to provide an enjoyable ride for the rider. The rider of such a mechanical ride will usually attempt to stay on the ride without falling off for as long as possible.
Due to the nature of such mechanical rides, there is a high risk of injury when a rider is knocked off and falls to the ground. If the ride does not stop motion, it can easily slam into the body of the rider and cause injury or even death.
Existing systems utilize a separate cut-off device such as a strap which is removably attached to the ride itself and fixedly attached to the rider. When the rider falls off, the cut-off device detaches from the ride; causing it to cease operation. In some circumstances, the rider can fall without entirely pulling out the cut-off device. In other circumstances, the rider can accidentally stop the ride prematurely by inadvertently detaching the cut-off device.
Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved mechanical ride safety system for automatically disabling a mechanical ride in response to a rider losing his/her grip on the ride.